A Winter Getaway
by alicia-meade
Summary: The "Invincible"/"Love in the Club" Sheltana series continues. Santana and Shelby take a much-needed weekend vacation to find some alone-time.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** Someone suggested a weekend getaway prompt, and this is what her plotbunny generated. It will eventually be 2-3 chapters. Reminder: Established Shelby/Santana and they've been dating and living together for several months post-graduation. This is loosely set the winter following graduation.

**A/N #2 (10/15/12): This has been "moved" into _Invincible's_ main story. FYI. Track that one for updates on this relationship!**

* * *

Santana gave up and pulled out a chair at the kitchen table. She had to bite her tongue. Shelby had made four trips back into their condo. They hadn't even made it out of the garage yet.

"And you have both our cell numbers?"

"Yeah. You already checked my phone the last two times you came back," Puck said. Santana could tell he was fighting to keep his cool, too. He met her eyes and she gave him an apologetic look.

"And the number – "

Quinn cut her off, far less patient than Puck. "For the resort, the resort's spa, and the resort's three restaurants. And yes, also for her pediatrician, the walk-in clinic, the pharmacy, poison control, a heating repairman, an electrician, and a plumber. You put them in our phones a week ago."

"And put the list on the fridge," Puck added.

"And in the bathroom."

"And Beth's room."

"And on the TV," Quinn finished, pointing at the printout taped to the center of the television's screen.

"I promise we can handle this, Shelby," Puck said earnestly.

"I don't want any funny business between you two," Shelby said, gesturing between Quinn and Puck. "I don't want you distracted."

Puck only smirked, but Quinn scoffed in disgust. "Please. That ship has sailed."

Santana met Puck's eyes again. They both knew Quinn had someone waiting for her back in Connecticut – someone named Bianca.

"And – "

Everyone had had enough, Santana included. She cut Shelby off firmly. "We're going to lose our reservation if we arrive too late. _Darling_."

She saw Shelby's back stiffen at her tone, but it had worked. "Fine. Let me just check on her one more – "

"Don't you dare wake her up on purpose just so we have an excuse not to leave."

Shelby shot her a look over her shoulder. It lacked the bite she knew Shelby intended it to have – one more for show than anything truly meaningful. "I won't."

When they made it out the door for the sixth time, Santana made it a point to beat Shelby to the driver's seat of her car, pulling out of the garage and getting on the road before Shelby could protest and demand to go check one more time.

"She'll be fine," Santana said after a few blocks, noticing Shelby's anxiety.

"I've never left her for more than a night. What if she forgets me? Or you?"

Santana was glad her eye-rolling was hidden behind her sunglasses. She was also glad her own worry, stoked by Shelby's comment, went unnoticed. "She isn't going to forget us. We'll be back on Sunday."

"Three nights."

"Mhmm," Santana said, reaching across the console to entwine her fingers with Shelby's. "Three whole nights. Alone."

* * *

It was a long drive to the resort in northern Michigan, but the weather and road conditions cooperated well enough that they made decent time.

"Shut. Up." Santana exclaimed as they pulled onto the property. She was glad Shelby was now behind the wheel so she could gawk. It was already dark due to the winter month, and the windows of dozens of cottages, houses, and villas glowed welcomingly.

They made their way up a winding road after checking in at the main lodge, Santana watching house numbers until she spotted their assigned cottage. "There, on the left."

Shelby pulled into the driveway and killed the engine, popping the trunk as she exited. "This is so cute," she said, looking up at the grey-blue house.

Santana hefted their suitcase out of the trunk and slammed it closed. "Let's go check it out."

A few seconds later, they were inside, luggage forgotten by the door, shoes and coats left in the foyer.

"It's so…open." Santana turned slowly, taking in the warmth and expanse of the main living room that spilled into a kitchen and dining room. She was so taken aback by her surroundings that she didn't even notice Shelby had disappeared.

"Santana? You have to come see this."

Shelby sounded so far away. "Where are you?"

"Upstairs."

Santana found a set of stairs and followed them up, leading to a spacious bedroom. "I don't know what else could be better than…" She drifted off when she found Shelby. She was standing out on a snow-covered balcony, leaning against its railing. Santana joined her, wrapping her arms around Shelby from behind to keep them both warmer against the chill.

There were no streetlights, no illuminated billboards, no glaring fast food signs. The twinkling lights of the resort faded into darkness, making it impossible to tell where they ended and the stars of the night sky began. It was silent, too, save for the quiet rustling of bare tree branches in the wind. As much as Santana wanted to comment on the beauty and solitude, she couldn't bring herself to break the silence.

Shelby apparently felt the same. She leaned back into Santana's embrace and covered her arms with her own. Santana sighed and turned to rest her cheek against Shelby's back. She was about to close her eyes when something in the corner of the balcony caught her attention. She smiled. She knew how they would be spending their evening.

"Come on," Santana said quietly, hating to break the moment, but they were both starting to shiver. "I'll go get our stuff."

"Sure you don't need help?" Shelby asked as she sat on the end of the bed, blowing into her hands to warm them.

"Nope. Be right back."

Santana retrieved the suitcase and hauled it up the stairs to flop it onto a chair in a corner of the room. "Warming up?"

"I'm fine," Shelby said with a smile. "Can you hand me my purse? I just want to check in."

Santana tossed Shelby's oversized black designer bag to her and unzipped the suitcase, digging through her clothes until she found what she was looking for and disappeared into the adjoining bathroom. "I'm just going to change real quick."

The bathroom had the same balance of opulence and down-hominess as the rest of the cottage. It was all wood and porcelain, with a wall-length counter that had two sinks, a whirlpool tub, and a double-sized walk-in shower that had two showerheads.

Santana stripped out of her travel clothes and into something more befitting of a different climate and freshened up at one of the sinks.

"Everything good at home?" she asked through the door as she folded up her discarded clothes.

"Yeah, they're about to give her a bath. Said everything went fine."

"See? Nothing to worry about." Santana pulled the bathroom door open and leaned against the doorframe. "Now you can focus on other things."

Shelby did a double take. "Why are you in a bikini?"

Santana pouted her lips. "You don't like it?"

"I didn't say I didn't like it," Shelby said as she stood up and crossed the room. "I asked why you're wearing it. It's freezing outside."

"Then maybe we should figure out a way to keep me warm."

Shelby smiled and started to reach for her, but Santana leaned away to reach behind the door and pulled one of the complimentary bathrobes off a hook. "This should do the trick." She slipped the robe on and moved past Shelby to sit rather demurely on the edge of the bed, though she intentionally left the robe untied.

"Yours is on the counter," Santana said, nodding at the bathroom.

"Santana – "

"Just go put it on, please?"

When the door closed behind Shelby, Santana jumped off the bed and jammed her feet into her Uggs. She pulled the balcony door open and almost lost her breath when the frigid air hit her. Swearing, she tied her robe and kicked away snow to make a path to the corner of the balcony. It was heavy, especially with the several inches of snow on top of it, but she was able to flip the cover of the hot tub back, steam pouring out. She was relieved that it was, in fact, filled and functioning. She found the controls and turned it on properly before running back inside. She grabbed the simple wooden desk chair and set it next to the hot tub and returned to the room again, closing the door behind her as she pulled off her boots, deciding at the last second to hit the light switch to kill the lights so it would be darker on the balcony. By the time she was done, she was absolutely frozen and hoped it would be worth it.

When Shelby reemerged from the bathroom in her own bikini and open robe, Santana thawed immediately.

"So is this part of a game, or…why is it dark? Santana?"

"You'll see. Come on." Santana took Shelby's hand and led her through the bedroom toward the balcony.

Shelby stopped her when she reached for the door. "What are you doing? We'll freeze."

"No we won't."

"It's fifteen degrees right now; yes we will."

"Just trust me. And walk fast." Santana slid the door open and pulled Shelby out, both of them gasping from the cold. Shelby closed the door and Santana led them through her cleared path.

"Is that a…we have a hot tub?"

"Yep. On the count of three, drop your robe on the chair and get in before we die."

"Oh God, you're serious."

"One, two, three!" Santana moved without waiting for Shelby. She had to commit to it or she wouldn't be able to abandon the bathrobe. She threw it on the chair and all but ran up the three stairs that led to the hot tub, stepping up and right into the heated water, sinking to her chin.

"Fuck," Shelby said, showing up in the water a second later. "You're crazy."

"I'm romantic."

"Freezing our asses off isn't romantic."

"Give it a minute. Don't doubt me." Santana reached out under the water and found Shelby's arm, using it to pull herself alongside Shelby. "Better?"

"Yeah," Shelby said, visibly starting to relax. "Though I think we're going to get hypothermia when we get out."

"Then maybe we'll just have to stay in here all winter," Santana said as she slipped her arm around Shelby's waist, pulling her closer.

"Or all weekend," Shelby replied.

"Good enough for me." Santana slid down her sit a bit so she could rest her head on the edge of the Jacuzzi so she could gaze up at the sky. "So many stars."

"They're beautiful."

Santana grazed her fingertips up and down Shelby's side, enjoying their nearness.

"We haven't been alone together in so long." Shelby's voice was quiet.

Santana let her fingers trail higher, grazing the side of Shelby's breast. "That's why we're here." She bit the inside of her cheek when she felt Shelby's hand appear on her thigh.

"Then I guess we better make the most of it."

Santana had meant for the hot tub to just be warm relaxation before spending quality time together in bed. Though if Shelby had other plans, far be it from her to stop her, and the fingers tickling her inner thigh seemed to indicate her intentions. "If you insist."

Shelby's touch trailed between Santana's legs, the sensation dulled by the water and fabric, but it made Santana tremble anyway. Shelby teased her until Santana finally whimpered a "Please," and Shelby complied, sneaking her fingers under Santana's bathing suit to graze her body. But the moment she appeared, she was gone, and Santana felt her drift out of her embrace. She didn't particularly care where Shelby was going. She knew she wasn't leaving her or stopping, so whatever it was would be worth it. She kept her eyes on the stars, waiting.

Shelby didn't keep her waiting long. She felt hands on her waist and then on her bikini bottoms, grasping them to ease them down her legs. It was easy in the water, a simple nudge from Shelby and she floated up just enough to slip them off. Shelby disappeared again, just for a moment, and then Santana felt hands on her knees, parting them slowly as she saw Shelby at the edge of her vision, just before warm lips connected with the chilled, exposed skin of her neck. Santana let one of her arms drift through the water to rest against her back, pulling her closer as her touch traveled up her abdomen, pushing the triangle top away to cover Santana's breasts with her hands.

Steam curled around them, sometimes clouding Santana's view of the night sky, and she was starting to wonder if it was they or the Jacuzzi heating the water. She sighed and trailed her fingers along Shelby's back, tilting her head slightly to encourage Shelby to continue her attention to Santana's neck. She did, and Santana was so distracted by it that she didn't notice the hand that trailed back down her stomach to slip between her legs until fingers were pressing against her purposefully.

Santana fought to keep her eyes open. She knew she would see stars either way, but the moment was too surreal to miss. Shelby had moved to work on warming the other side of Santana's neck, though had already been quite effective at doing so with the two fingers making slow circles underwater.

Shelby finally coaxed a moan out of Santana when she slipped inside just briefly. The movement and their buoyancy lifted Santana and she caught herself with a leg around Shelby's waist, settling herself back on the seat with Shelby as her anchor.

The circles were quicker now, and Santana pressed her hips into the touch and heard Shelby's quiet moan, the one that meant she was truly enjoying herself. Shelby's free arm slid around Santana's waist to pull herself closer, until their bodies were flush and her hand was pinned in place. She caught Santana's earlobe between her lips and Santana gasped in pleasure, unable to discern if the stars she was seeing were those above them or created by Shelby.

It didn't matter, though. All that mattered was Shelby and the stars and their intimacy. When her heart slowed, she tore her eyes off the sea of stars to meet Shelby's waiting gaze. Shelby kissed her, stealing her breath again. When they parted, Shelby rested her forehead against Santana's, both of them breathing hard.

"I love you," Shelby whispered before brushing her lips along Santana's again.

Santana felt her heart flutter. They professed their love to one another often, but sometimes Shelby said it with such conviction that it made her feel as though it was she who held her to the earth, not gravity. It was those moments that told her the sacrifices and hardships they went through to be together were worth it. It was those moments that made her feel as though she could conquer the world. She was so head over heels in love that she barely believed she could be so lucky.

"I love you, too." Santana lifted her chin to bring their mouths back together in a slow, deep kiss. Her arms wrapped around Shelby's waist and she pushed herself off the seat, letting them drift to the other side of the Jacuzzi until Shelby was on the bench. Her wandering hands found the ties at the base of Shelby's neck and the middle of her back, pulling at the strings until her top drifted away in the swirling current.

Santana was working her kisses down Shelby's throat and she contemplated just how much she could do in the hot water. She trailed her lips down the middle of Shelby's chest until water was up to her chin. A glance up and she saw Shelby's eyes were closed, and, steeling herself against the heat, she took a deep breath and slipped beneath the water, just enough to catch the tip of Shelby's breast between her lips. She felt rather than heard Shelby's quick inhale, and she imagined the moan she felt vibrate in her chest. She didn't want to let go, but it was getting too hot, and she needed to breathe, so she swirled her tongue one last time and came up for air, barely getting a breath before Shelby's mouth was covering hers, stealing it.

Santana pulled away quickly, desperately needing to breathe. She felt a shiver run through her, and she realized it wasn't from Shelby. She hadn't fully thought through what going under water would do. Now her hair was soaked and exposed to the below-freezing air. She was cold, and getting colder, fast.

"Let me finish this inside so I don't freeze," Santana said with a laugh, her teeth already trying to chatter.

"Okay," Shelby said, still breathing hard. "We're just going to have to make a run for it, aren't we."

"It's only a few feet; we'll make it. I hope." Santana found the lower half of her bathing suit and the top half of Shelby's floating in the tub and balled them in her fist as she swam to the edge nearest the cottage. "I'm going straight for the shower. Meet me there."

With that, Santana pulled herself out of the hot tub, feet landing on the frozen deck. She moved fast, grabbing her robe off the chair. She didn't even bother putting it on, throwing open the glass door and making a beeline for the bathroom. She yanked the shower stall's door open and cranked the faucets wide open, throwing the mismatched bathing suits in a sink and her robe on the counter before jumping under the downpour from the waterfall-style showerhead as soon as it was warm. She had just pulled off her displaced bikini top when Shelby showed up a few seconds later, crashing in as unceremoniously as Santana had.

"Fuck, it's freezing!" Shelby said, spinning in place under her showerhead to let the hot water flow over her.

Santana smiled and reached across the shower to pull Shelby under her own cascade of warm water, hands immediately moving to Shelby's swimsuit bottoms to push them over her hips. They fell to the floor and she grabbed Shelby's backside playfully, pulling her closer.

"Your ass is cold," she said with a grin, easing her grip into a gentle massage.

Shelby dropped her head to Santana's shoulder, still shivering a little. "Can't imagine why."

"My fault. Guess I should make it all better." Santana adjusted her stance to slip her thigh between Shelby's, lifting her knee just enough until she was flush against Shelby.

"Oh…" Shelby said, voice muffled against Santana's shoulder.

"Better?"

"A little."

Santana pondered her options. She had meant for them to just shed the chill in the shower and take this to bed, but neither of them seemed very eager to leave the bathroom. She knew there wasn't a built-in seat in the stall – she had specifically looked for one earlier – but there was a safety bar behind her. It would have to do. At least Shelby would have something to hold onto.

She turned them around, backing Shelby into the tiled wall. "Cold," Shelby said with a hiss, reaching for the showerhead to angle it towards her shoulder.

"I'll make you forget," Santana said, using the low, purring voice she knew made Shelby weak.

True to form, Shelby's head hit the wall, hands dropping off Santana to grasp the rail behind her. Santana smirked and bent down to be able to bathe Shelby's breasts with attention until Shelby's hips were pressing forward, begging for their own consideration. She abandoned her breasts and stood back up, kissing Shelby hard, almost roughly. She ran one of her hands down Shelby's leg to her knee and back up to fit the palm of her hand between Shelby's thighs, just holding her as she won the battle their tongues were waging. When Shelby conceded and let Santana claim her mouth, Santana claimed her center, too, easily sliding two fingers into Shelby.

Shelby groaned against their kiss and Santana started rocking, the heel of her hand pressing hard against Shelby in the way she knew drove her crazy. Sure enough, a few seconds later and Shelby's leg was around her waist, her kisses and voice and movements urging Santana to keep going.

Santana knew not to stop. She wouldn't stop until Shelby couldn't support herself anymore, and maybe not even then. The shower was wide enough to easily lie down if they needed to. The desire to please Shelby so absolutely made Santana moan and push into her faster, coaxing whimpers and curses from Shelby's lips.

Santana grabbed Shelby's backside with her free hand, gripping it hard. "Still cold?" she asked, breathing hard.

"Fuck," Shelby muttered, changing her grip on the rail. "So hot."

"Yeah you are," Santana said, kissing her again, even harder. She worked her hand against Shelby expertly, hearing Shelby's moans growing urgent. She broke their kiss and dropped her head to Shelby's shoulder to better focus. She changed her angle slightly, rubbing hard, and then Shelby was melting at her hand, moans echoing around them. Santana held her as Shelby's body rocked from waves of ecstasy.

"Ohhh God," Shelby finally said, able to form words again.

Santana lifted her head, a smile on her face. "All better?"

"So much better," Shelby said, her voice thick, as she pulled Santana into a slow, wet kiss.

Santana kissed her back, noticing just how much pleasuring Shelby had turned her on again. She felt for Shelby's arms around her neck and pulled one of them down, dragging her hand immediately between her legs. "I'll be quick."

Shelby opened her eyes and glanced down between them, adjusting her hand against Santana. "You don't have to be."

"I know, but I will be."

Shelby laughed and moved her fingers against Santana and not thirty seconds later, Santana was clinging to Shelby, her moans being those to echo around them this time.

Santana let a few moments pass, savoring the way Shelby was caressing her back before mustering the strength to pull away and turn off the faucets.

"I'm fucking starving," she said as she wrung water out of her hair.

"So romantic," Shelby said with half a smile, doing the same.

"Sorry. I'm famished, honey."

Shelby smiled fully and wrapped her arms around Santana again, kissing her firmly. "That's more like it."

Santana giggled and kissed her back while walking backwards, blindly feeling behind her for the door so she wouldn't run into it. She bumped into it and gave it a push, opening it to let in the unwelcomed cooler air of the bathroom. Shelby finally released her and she fetched a few towels from the nearby cabinet, handing one to her girlfriend before drying herself.

"This place have room service?" she asked, looking at Shelby upside down as she toweled her hair.

"Supposed to. I think I saw a menu in the kitchen."

"I'll go order. What do you want?"

"Doesn't matter. You know what I like."

"Yeah I do," Santana said with a wink as she secured a towel around her body.

Shelby laughed. "That's not what I meant."

"I know," Santana said as she turned and left. "Doesn't mean it's not still true."

* * *

_To be continued..._


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** The weekend continues. And this is most definitely rated M.

**A/N #2 (10/15/12): This has been "moved" into _Invincible's_ main story. FYI. Track that one for updates on this relationship!**

* * *

"I can't believe I let you talk me into this."

Santana grinned as she snapped the bindings down over her boot. "It's a ski resort. Did you think we wouldn't ski?"

"I had hoped." Shelby struggled to slam her heel down hard enough to snap into her second ski, but it eventually popped.

Santana was on her snowboard, wiggling enough to rock back and forth impatiently. "You said you've skied before. What's the big deal?"

"I was twenty-five."

"And?"

"And I'm not exactly in the same shape I was when I was twenty-five."

"I find that hard to believe." Santana pulled her mirrored aviator sunglasses off the top of her head and slipped them on. "Come on."

"I'm going to break myself!"

Santana laughed and kicked herself toward the bunny hill. She would give Shelby the courtesy of not watching her complete lack of coordination while she got her bearings. Not that she would admit it, but she was a little shaky, too. A couple weekend trips in middle and high school were her only experience.

"The bunny hill? What, scared of the real deal?" Shelby had caught up with her.

Santana felt her competitive streak prickle. She and Shelby had a very balanced relationship, but now and then they would square off in a battle of who was better/stronger/faster/wittier/funnier/had the bigger lung capacity. Shelby was smiling mischievously. Now would be one of those times.

"In your dreams," Santana said, scoffing. "Thought I should give my old lady an easy start. Don't want you to fall and break a hip."

"Take that back."

"Prove me wrong."

"Fine. Let's go." Shelby pushed herself forward with her ski poles, still awkward with the rhythm required to move across the flat snow.

Santana kicked after her, not saying anything as she passed her, but waited patiently for her to catch up so they could get in line at a chair lift together. They jostled one another playfully on the ride up, pausing halfway to kiss.

"Remember to keep your tips up," Santana said as they neared the top.

"I know what I'm doing," Shelby said, readying herself.

They both slid off the bench relatively well and stopped a few feet away from the main traffic so Santana could clip her other foot in. "So, are we racing? Or what?"

"I believe that's our only option." Shelby adjusted her beanie and scarf as she waited.

Santana slid up alongside Shelby, both of them looking down the slope. It was the easiest run at the resort, aside from the bunny hill. "Then count it off."

"On your mark. Get set. Go!"

Santana bent her knees and hopped forward, immediately wobbling. It took a few seconds to find her balance but the skill came back to her quickly. She zig-zagged down the hill, only making it a point to stay ahead of Shelby, who was one zag behind her.

She had forgotten how much fun snowboarding was, and just as she started to get lost in her experience, she heard Shelby's distinctive yelp. Santana hit the brakes on her board, almost falling over from the quick turn. She leaned on its edge to look back up the hill just in time for a lone ski to slide right to her. Shelby and the rest of her equipment were twenty feet up, sitting in the snow.

Santana grabbed the ski and held it up. "Yard sale!"

Shelby's hand was in the air, and though it was impossible to discern because she was wearing mittens, Santana knew which finger she was holding up.

"Hip okay?"

The other mittened hand went up and Santana laughed as she bent down to unstrap herself, hefting her board under one arm and Shelby's rogue ski in the other to walk up the hill.

"Shut up," Shelby said as she grabbed her ski from Santana and tossed it to the snow to step back into it.

"I didn't say anything," Santana said melodically.

"Let's keep it that way. Bye!" Shelby turned and pushed down the hill, leaving Santana with her snowboard in her hand and far behind.

"Hey!" Santana shrieked. "Oh that bitch," she said to herself as she threw her board on the snow and strapped her feet back into place as fast as she could to head after her.

The adrenaline and irritation that she had allowed herself to be tricked her made her pick up her speed, and around every bend she expected to catch up with Shelby, but she never did. In fact, she didn't find her until she was at the bottom of the run, and Shelby was standing by the fence, waiting.

"'Bout time. I think it's almost Spring."

"You played dirty!"

Shelby was grinning. "Did you forget who I am?"

"But you cheated!" Santana was livid. She did not like being tricked. She liked losing even less.

"No, no, no, honey," Shelby said with a laugh. "I capitalized on your known chivalric tendency. Thank you for catching my ski, by the way."

"Yeah, you're welcome," Santana huffed.

"Aww," Shelby said with a pout as she shuffled to Santana to wrap her arms around her waist, the angle awkward thanks to their equipment. "Don't be a sore loser."

Santana smiled a little and ducked her head to kiss Shelby's cheek. "Rematch, now that I know what I'm actually up against?"

"You're on."

* * *

"If it makes you feel better, I think I pulled a muscle in my back when I wrecked that second time," Santana said as they shed layers of winter gear in the foyer. She had been the victor in what had become a best-of-seventeen-runs competition.

Shelby pulled off her beanie, smiling a little. "It might."

Santana rotated her arm a few times and twisted at the waist, trying to crack her back dramatically. "I can already feel it tightening up."

"I think you dropped something," Shelby said as she dealt with the static in her hair left by her hat.

"And what's that?" Santana asked with a smile.

"A hint, maybe?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." Santana grimaced and held the back of her neck.

Shelby rolled her eyes and walked to the kitchen to grab a couple bottles of water from the case on the counter before heading upstairs. "Yes, I will give you a massage. But only if you shower first. You stink."

Santana gasped in offense. "I do not!"

Shelby leaned back around the corner of the stairwell. "You look like you do. Shower."

Santana grumbled as she followed Shelby upstairs to their room, snatching a bottle out of her hand as they went. It wasn't until she peeled off her undershirt that she noticed how much of a sweat she had worked up beneath all the layers. But she didn't stink.

"You gonna join me?" she asked.

"No, you go ahead. I want to check in with Puck and Quinn and need to check my email. I'll hop in after you."

"At least come talk to me if I'm not out before you're done," Santana said as she closed the shower's door behind her.

Santana finished without Shelby coming in, so she tied the belt on her bathrobe to venture out and find her. Shelby was sitting on the foot of the bed, eyes unfocused, chewing on her thumbnail.

Santana's heart dropped immediately. "What's wrong? Is Beth okay?"

Shelby jerked back to attention, plastering on a bright smile. "She's fine! She's fine. They went sledding today and built a snowman. Quinn emailed me pictures," Shelby said, nodding toward her open laptop on the desk in the corner.

Something still felt off, but Shelby would never lie about her daughter's wellbeing, so Santana chose to let it go, for now. She leaned over the desk chair, scrolling through the photos: Quinn and Beth being pulled on a bright red plastic sled; Puck holding onto Beth as they rode down a hill; Beth in her purple snowsuit that made her look triple her actual size, pushing a clump of snow along the ground; Puck jamming arm sticks into a full-sized snowman; Beth crying as the big snowman lay in pieces on the ground, apparently having toppled over; Quinn holding her and obviously trying not to laugh as she cried. Santana was glad they were getting to spend time with Beth; she couldn't imagine having a child and giving her up, but she would forever be grateful that their decision led to Beth being part of her own life.

"I miss her," she said as she closed Shelby's laptop and turned to lean against the chair.

"Me, too." Shelby stood with a sigh. "I'll go shower. Meet you downstairs?"

Santana knew she was still hiding something, but as much as it drove her crazy, she knew Shelby would always tell her when she was ready. They had had enough arguments for her to learn that no amount of nagging would get it out of her.

"Sure," Santana said with a smile.

She went back downstairs to flip through the leather-bound room service menu. It was more like an all-in-one delivery menu, since it came via car and in take-out containers, but who was she to nitpick? The food was amazing. She called in dinner and went to the living room to wait, noticing the fireplace. She poked at it a few minutes trying to figure out if it was real or not until she found a palm-sized remote control sitting on the mantle. Guessing, she pointed it at the fireplace and pushed the "on" button, not sure if it or the television or some other gadget would come to life. When flames shot up, she smiled triumphantly and sat on the couch, holding her bare feet toward the fire to warm them.

"Nice." Shelby's voice right next to her ear startled her, having gotten lost in watching the flames dance.

She felt hands squeezing her shoulders and she shivered, the promise of a proper massage on the horizon. "Thought it might be romantic."

"I think you might be right." Shelby pressed a kiss to Santana's cheek, straightening just as their doorbell rang. "Dinner?"

"Yeah," Santana moved to get up, but Shelby put a hand on her shoulder.

"I'll get it."

Shelby returned a minute later, paper bag in one hand, a bottle of wine in the other, looking adorable and ridiculous with her wet hair and bathrobe. "You're really laying it on thick."

"What, now I'm _too _romantic?"

"I didn't say that," Shelby said with a smile as she set the delivery on the couch next to Santana. "Stay."

Santana laughed. "Me, or the food?"

"Both."

Shelby disappeared and returned a minute later, apparently having found a spare blanket and pillow in a closet somewhere. She dropped them on the floor and left again, this time returning with a pair of wine glasses and bottle opener from the kitchen. She set them on the mantle and picked up the blanket to unfold it and settle it flat.

Santana watched her work, unable to keep from smiling. They were both diehard romantics, and the craziness of their day-to-day lives rarely afforded them the opportunity to indulge each other. "Fireside picnic?"

"Of course," Shelby said, flashing a smile as she moved the glasses to the hearth and retrieved the dinner delivery before easing herself down to sit on the blanket to unpack the various containers. "What did you order?"

Santana slid off the couch to sit across from Shelby, tossing the bag aside when it was empty. "Comfort food. Let me?" She held her hand out, glancing at the wine. Shelby passed it to her with the bottle opener and Santana set to working on it.

"I better not get arrested for contributing to a minor."

Santana laughed and eased the cork out, setting it aside so Shelby could hand her a glass. "No arrests, I promise."

"I have some handcuffs upstairs, though, if necessary," Shelby said coolly, trading a filled glass for the other empty one.

Santana choked on her sip of wine, almost spilling it as she coughed.

"I'm kidding!" Shelby said, laughing as she rescued the glass from Santana's hand, setting it aside.

"Hilarious," Santana said dryly. "Not that I would object," she added, cocking an eyebrow at Shelby.

"Duly noted. Now," Shelby said, popping open the top of one of the takeout containers, "what's for dinner?" She laughed, immediately passing the box to Santana.

Santana settled the container on her lap and picked up the cheeseburger. "I told you I got comfort food."

Shelby opened the other entrée-sized container, shaking her head. "It's perfect. Though I don't know how well cheeseburgers pair with red wine?"

"Beef is beef," Santana said with a shrug, chomping into the burger.

Shelby tilted her own cheeseburger toward Santana in a mock toast. "And wine is wine."

* * *

"I think I need to take you up on that massage offer before you claim you're too tired," Santana said as she returned from the kitchen, having gotten rid of the remnants of dinner.

"Don't worry, I'm good for it." Shelby split the last of the wine between their glasses. "Lie down. And lose the robe."

Santana untied her belt, but hesitated.

"What, suddenly modest?"

"Yeah right. Pull the curtains – I'm not giving the village a free show."

Shelby laughed and got up to draw the curtains over the large bay window.

Santana shed her robe and tossed it aside, smirking at Shelby's failure to mask her reaction upon turning around. "You know the only person I let see the ladies is my lady."

"Lucky me," Shelby said quietly. "Go ahead and lie down."

Santana twisted and turned to settle on her stomach, cheek against the floor, hair pulled to the side. She closed her eyes and waited. It was hard not to giggle – not that anything was particularly funny, but it was just so cliché: wine and a massage on a fuzzy blanket in front of a fireplace in a winter cottage. And she wouldn't change a thing.

She sensed Shelby above her, and then felt her a moment later as she settled against the backs of Santana's thighs. She couldn't feel terrycloth against her and she wondered if Shelby was still wearing her robe. She kept her eyes closed, electing to determine it solely through what she could feel. The thought made her pulse race a little.

"This might be a little cold."

She heard the creak, pop, and snap of a plastic lid. She knew the sound well – it was the travel-sized bottle of lotion Shelby perpetually kept in her purse and used multiple times per day. And then cool hands were pressing into her lower back, slowly gliding higher until fingers wrapped over shoulders, squeezing gently.

A sigh was the most Santana could manage. Shelby's hands moved slowly, zeroing in on the knot below her left shoulder blade. She really had tweaked something today, and the hot pain of it loosening was welcomed. Her massages were always magical, and this was no exception. In fact, it was more so, heightened by the fire, the wine, and…the bare breasts that were pressing into her back as lips grazed her neck. She had a fleeting moment of personal satisfaction that her suspicion was confirmed, and then it immediately vanished with a kiss to the shell of her ear.

Her pulse wavered, caught between excitement and extreme relaxation as she felt Shelby straighten again, her hands moving down Santana's left arm, working slowly until she was massaging her palm and fingers one at a time. She gave the same attention to Santana's right arm and returned to her back, but Santana felt her fingers creeping down her sides as they moved, first to tease the ticklish spot on her waist and then to caress the sides of her breasts.

She felt Shelby mold herself to her back again and lips traveled along her jaw, stopping at the corner of her mouth. Santana turned slightly and puckered her lips, satisfied with how quickly she was kissed. She relaxed her pout and tasted their wine as the tip of Shelby's tongue connected with hers.

Santana was torn between wanting to fall asleep and wanting to flip over and pin Shelby to ravish her. Shelby was resting heavily against her, though, and exerting that much energy just did not seem favorable. Instead she moaned just enough to convey her gratitude and dropped her cheek back to the blanket, breaking their kiss. Shelby continued it, though. It traveled down her neck, first to the left shoulder, then the right. Her arms were lifted and moved to lie comfortably above her head as Santana felt her shift lower, kisses trailing down the center of her back as hands grew less tentative and more suggestive, spending ample time at all her sensitive spots, but mostly along her hips. They slipped between Santana and the floor, the natural line of her body leaving just enough space. Fingertips traced the hollowed curves along her pelvis. They pulled just slightly and Santana pressed her chest down, lifting her hips as was requested. She felt Shelby change the angle of her hand, and then her touch trailed between Santana's legs as she pressed a kiss to the base of her spine.

Santana gasped, the direct contact flooding her senses. She resisted the urge to push her hips down into the touch and trap Shelby in place.

Shelby's hands moved back to her hips, pulling on the right just enough to encourage Santana to turn over. Shelby moved with her, still on her knees, straddling Santana's thighs. Santana kept her eyes closed – it had become her own little challenge, to completely give up her control or knowledge of what was to come next. She remembered there was a pillow somewhere within reach and she felt for it blindly, finding it after a few tries to pull it beneath her head.

She knew Shelby was still hovering over her; their legs had grazed when she stretched for the pillow. She experimented, bending her right knee slowly, feeling it trace along what she knew was Shelby's inner thigh until it found heat and she heard Shelby whimper. As soon as she found her, a hand was on her thigh pushing her leg back down.

Creak, pop, snap. This time the lotion was drizzled directly onto her stomach, and Santana gasped from the coldness. It lingered several seconds before warm hands moved through it, gliding along her abdomen, higher to her ribs, and higher still to her breasts. Her back arched slightly and the touch grew gentler, more teasing. She felt Shelby move and then the dancing red glow of the fire was no longer visible behind her eyelids. She could sense Shelby hovering above her and Santana wet her lips, hoping for a kiss that never came.

Instead, the kiss was delivered straight to her nipple, making Santana moan from the pleasant surprise. Shelby's soft hair fell against her chest, heightening the sensation even further as a tongue flickered and swirled against the sensitive flesh. She reached for Shelby and combed through her hair, letting it slip through her fingers as Shelby moved lower to kiss her stomach, muscles quivering from anticipation. Her tongue circled her navel and Santana felt hands on her thighs, easing them apart slowly.

She could sense Shelby moving back, could feel the familiarity that was her body lying between Santana's legs. Santana bent her right knee and felt it guided over Shelby's shoulder.

Santana held her breath. There was no telling how long Shelby would keep her waiting. She didn't mind waiting hours if she had to. As turned on as she was, she still never wanted this amazing moment to end. Shelby's hands were traveling her body slowly, one gliding along her thigh, the other up her stomach until it grazed the underside of a breast. It made Santana unconsciously slide herself lower, closer, and she felt Shelby's hand find hers as gentle lips pressed a kiss against the source of her desire.

Santana gripped her hand, doing all she could to remain in control of herself and completely out of control of the situation. She focused on her breathing, but then Shelby's tongue was trailing so painfully slowly along her that she allowed herself a moan of encouragement. It had the desired effect as she heard Shelby's quiet moan in response as she used more pressure and gradually quickened her pace, just enough to truly ignite Santana and hold her at the edge for as long as Shelby wanted.

By the feel of it, Santana realized, Shelby wasn't planning on ending it any time soon. She felt as though she was being turned inside out, but so slowly she could barely discern its progress. Shelby was back to teasing her, now that she had her teetering, and Santana groaned when she felt her tongue slip inside briefly. Shelby moaned, too, and Santana knew its tone – she was proud of the effect she was having on her. Santana didn't care. She should be proud. The things Shelby could make her feel should be illegal, and probably were in some parts of the world.

It was a pattern, Santana had determined. Fingernails would drag down her stomach, tongue would slip inside, shoulder would press her thigh back slightly, tongue would glide higher, lips would suckle. It continued until Santana had broken into a sweat, made that much hotter by the nearby fire. She could feel Shelby's back growing slick as well, her heel sliding against her more easily each time her knee was pressed back. She was panting, and writhing, and almost crying when the pattern finally broke, the suckling not ceasing this time.

Santana wanted to thank her but instead all she could do was moan and wait for it. It was so close, hovering just out of reach for what felt like an eternity, and she could feel it building ever more quickly as Shelby pushed the back of her thigh hard, her knee to her chest as she felt nothing but lips and tongue and the easy pressure of the fingers that slid into place deep inside her. It was all perfect and she found her release, body rolling with the pleasure that flowed from her head to her toes, all of it pulsating at her core.

Shelby was moaning, too, that same prideful one as earlier. Santana would be thanking her as soon as she could see straight again – she certainly deserved it. She finally reached for Shelby, tugging her hair gently to get her attention.

"Kiss me," Santana breathed, just beginning to calm.

Shelby was in her arms in a heartbeat and they locked themselves in a kiss that was wet and passionate and full of lust. Santana wedged her hand between them to find Shelby with her fingertips, barely able to reach her. Shelby moaned, this time wanton and desperate. Santana forced her head to the side to break the kiss, and Shelby's mouth immediately connected with her neck.

"Tell me what you want," Santana gasped. "I'll do anything."

She felt teeth against her skin. "Anything?"

"What do you want?"

Shelby seemed to ease their aggressive outburst, and Santana wondered if she was deciding what she wanted or trying to work up the courage to ask for whatever it was.

Suddenly Shelby was off her and sitting on her knees. "Turn."

Santana moved to roll back over but Shelby caught her by the wrist.

"I meant rotate. So your head's by the couch."

Santana wasn't going to question it. Their walls were down and there was zero room for judgment now. She turned and slid backwards until the top of her head was nearly even with the base of the couch. "Like this?"

"Yeah," Shelby said as she crossed the new distance between them to straddle Santana's hips again. She started to lean down to kiss her, but paused. "Don't worry, it's nothing we haven't done before." She quirked a quick smile before pressing a hard kiss to Santana's lips and sitting back up, working herself higher as Santana figured it out. This was nothing kinky or risqué. This was just Shelby's favorite.

"Needed something to hold onto?" she surmised, referring to the couch, as she wrapped her arms under Shelby's thighs to hold her hips. Shelby was tantalizingly close and painfully out of reach.

"No headboard," Shelby confirmed as she slid her hips forward, bringing herself right to Santana's mouth.

Santana groaned at the sensation. Shelby was just as aroused as she had been, and she pressed her tongue against her, tasting every inch until she felt Shelby tilt her hips closer. She zeroed in on the spot that caused that motion and Shelby moaned, leaning forward to support herself on the couch. Santana gripped her more firmly, pulling her closer as she coaxed each moan and whimper and curse out of Shelby. She mimicked the way Shelby had suckled her sensitive flesh and it made Shelby moan her name and reach down and tangle her fingers in Santana's hair, pulling almost too hard. Santana flicked her tongue quickly in response and then Shelby was gone, her hips bucking and pushing against Santana as she moaned. It went on and on and Santana eased her through it, massaging her gently until she finally calmed, reduced to a panting, collapsed heap, her forehead on her crossed arms on the edge of the couch.

She finally opened her eyes, able to meet Santana's through her crossed arms, though upside down. They were surprisingly clear and focused for the ordeal she had just been through. "Again."

Santana groaned. Sometimes they turned each other on to the point of it being obscene. So rare was the freedom to indulge for so long that Santana had nearly forgotten what it was like.

"Whatever you want. Just turn around first."

"But I need to lean forward," Shelby said as she turned.

"So lean forward, genius," Santana said with a snide laugh as she pressed on Shelby's lower back and parted her own legs.

She turned her attention back to what was in front of her – literally – and found renewed enthusiasm in the slightly new angle. She found even more enthusiasm when Shelby's tongue found its way back between her legs, too. She gripped Shelby's thighs, supporting her as her focus started breaking down. Santana's focus was starting to falter, too, and she stopped herself from pitching her hips up by instead parting her legs further. She moaned and Shelby echoed it, control and focus fading fast until Santana had to replace her mouth with her hand. Shelby even didn't seem to notice.

Santana couldn't and didn't wait. It was quick and powerful, and a moment later Shelby followed.

After a few seconds, Shelby rolled off to the right, landing on her back, panting and sweating. Santana was a mirror image as they lay head to toe.

"Christ," Shelby finally said.

Santana managed a laugh and tried to sit up, abs screaming as though she had done two hundred crunches that day. She finally made it upright, sitting alongside Shelby's hip. "You done?"

Shelby looked up at her and smiled. "For the moment."

"You're going to kill me one of these days."

"What, your youthful heart can't keep up with me?"

Santana shook her head and leaned forward, wincing a little, to grab one of the wine glasses and take a long drink. "Dehydration."

Shelby laughed wholeheartedly and rolled onto her side to hug Santana's leg for a minute before kissing her knee and working herself up into a sitting position. "Cheers to that," she said, drinking from the other glass.

Santana rested her glass against the top of her thigh, letting her free hand travel along Shelby's leg, just to touch. "We're so good together."

Shelby sipped her wine again, finishing the glass. "I agree."

"Do you ever wonder what would have happened if we never happened? Where you would be? Who would be in your life?"

"Not really," Shelby said with a shrug. "I never would have ever allowed a student to come onto me the way you did that day. I figure if I let it happen so easily, it must have been meant to be. So, if it was meant to be, then there wouldn't be a possible alternative to consider."

Santana's heart swelled and she folded her legs so she could slide forward and kiss Shelby. "I love you so much," she said when they parted.

Shelby smiled and gave her one more little peck of a kiss. "I love you, too." A pause. "Why did you ask if I think about what it would be like without you? Do you think about us not being together?"

"No! No, of course not. I just meant I can't imagine my life being any different. I've tried to picture it, the alternative, and there's nothing there for me either."

Shelby set her empty glass aside and entwined her fingers with Santana's. "You had a plan, before we happened. You wanted to go off and become a star, and instead you got stuck in Lima."

"I'm not _stuck_ in Lima. I stayed to be with you. You just started a new life there. One of us had to bend if we wanted to be together. I didn't have a job and a child; it had to be me. I did it willingly. I haven't regretted it." Santana knew Shelby was getting at something. Hopefully it was whatever had been on her mind earlier. Hopefully it wasn't something bad.

"You wanted to move to New York."

"Doesn't everyone want to move to New York? You even did it."

"I did. It was amazing. Tough for me as a teen on my own, but it was great while it lasted."

"I know Broadway was your dream, but can I be selfish for a second and be grateful it didn't work out and you eventually came back?" She pressed a kiss to Shelby's shoulder and turned to rest her cheek against it, savoring their closeness.

"What if it was still my dream? Our dream?"

Santana straightened, meeting Shelby's eyes. "What do you mean?"

"I have an audition."

* * *

_To be continued..._


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** This is shorter than my usual chapters; my apologies. But I wanted to wrap this up to start thinking about the next. :)

**A/N #2 (10/15/12): This has been "moved" into _Invincible's_ main story. FYI. Track that one for updates on this relationship!**

* * *

"I have an audition."

Shelby's statement hung in the air between them. It wasn't that it was particularly groundbreaking news – Shelby always had auditions for various local and regional productions; it was the way she had prefaced it.

"In…New York?" Santana surmised.

"Yeah."

Santana didn't know how to feel. A wave of a hundred emotions washed over her. She wanted to cheer and cry and yell and hug and kiss and slap. "When?" she said, fighting not to grimace.

"In a few weeks, on the 26th."

"The day after Christmas?"

"Well, yes – "

Santana was angry. She pushed herself away from Shelby, suddenly feeling very exposed and weak. She wished her robe hadn't been kicked under the chair behind Shelby, painfully out of reach.

"You said we were spending Christmas together."

"I know – "

"And now you're leaving me? Going to New York? Are you taking Beth?"

Shelby laughed – which only pissed off Santana further – and crawled across the space Santana had created. Santana put her arms out to push her back but Shelby knocked them away and kept pressing forward until she had Santana on her back.

"Calm down."

Santana grit her teeth. "I'm calm." She felt Shelby try to slip her leg between hers and she tensed her thighs, blocking her. She wouldn't let herself be controlled by her vagina. For the moment.

"You went to your angry place before you heard me out." Shelby was dropping kisses along her neck and chest, and Santana stared at the ceiling, refusing to be weak.

"Well?"

"Well, first, you didn't let me say that I didn't even know about it until a bit ago."

"I knew you were keeping something from me." She felt teeth nip the swell of her breast and exhaled hard.

"Don't. I wasn't being malicious. Secondly, I'm flying out that morning and I'll be back the next day. We're still spending Christmas together. Thirdly…"

Shelby's sentence fizzled as Santana felt a tongue against her breast. Santana's determination fizzled, too, and she let herself be distracted long enough for Shelby's knee to finally slip between Santana's.

"Thirdly?" Santana said with a gasp as Shelby's thigh pressed against her. She glanced down just in time to see Shelby tug on the sensitive tip of her breast with her lips. It made her mouth water. She wanted Shelby to hurry up and finish this conversation about something she was caring less and less about with every touch. She had a fleeting thought she was supposed to be upset, but how could she be upset when Shelby's mouth was on her?

"Thirdly…" Shelby's tongue flickered against her nipple and then she suddenly looked up at Santana. "I…I don't remember…"

"Remember later," Santana said, her resolve breaking once and for all as she turned and pushed Shelby onto her back, covering her mouth with her own before anything else could be said. Shelby may have been intending to placate Santana, but all Santana could think about was placating Shelby again. And again. She was glad they were in a house of their own and not a thin-walled hotel.

Santana moved her kiss to Shelby's breast, giving it the same treatment hers had been given seconds earlier. She sucked and pulled and caressed until Shelby whimpered, "Please."

Santana moved off Shelby just enough to get her hand between them. She teased her for a moment, fingers gliding easily enough to let her slip inside without resistance. She fit her palm against Shelby and leaned into her, her thigh pushing against of the back of her hand. Shelby moaned immediately and Santana settled herself against Shelby's thigh, rocking her hips forward for both their benefit.

She wasn't hesitant about it. They had spent the better part of the evening being slow and tender. The adrenaline and panic and anger she had felt still lingered and it was starting to find its way out. She pushed herself up on her free arm, looking down at Shelby, her eyes closed, lips parted, eyebrows drawing closer together as Santana moved against her more roughly, jostling her with each thrust of her hips.

Shelby's right leg found its way around Santana's waist and she pushed harder, loving the way Shelby's voice trembled with her movements. It urged her on, and she forced her hips faster, her arm burning from supporting herself. She didn't care, though. All she cared about was watching Shelby's face in this moment.

"Jesus," she said, feeling consumed by the moment of raw passion.

Shelby's eyes fluttered open for a second, just long enough to meet Santana's as she mumbled, "Faster."

Santana didn't think she could move any more quickly, but she tried, and Shelby moaned appreciatively. Her moan didn't stop, though, and Santana felt her throbbing against her fingers, and fingernails digging into her hips, and Santana let her own pleasure overwhelm her, arm finally giving out as she fell against Shelby, their hips still lifting and pressing into each other sporadically.

They were both gasping for breath, and Santana considered that she should get off Shelby's chest to help her breathe, but the arms wrapped around her back told her otherwise.

They stayed locked together until their breathing had returned to normal and Shelby spoke, her voice echoing in Santana's ear pressed against her chest. "What was _that_?"

"I…got scared."

Shelby wiggled a little and Santana groaned as she pushed herself back up on her exhausted right arm to make a move to disengage herself, but she felt a hand grab her wrist. "Stay."

Her arousal started building again but she checked it, at least a little. "Don't make me talk about serious things when I have my fingers buried in your pussy."

The look of shock on Shelby's face was indescribable. "Santana!"

It wasn't as though they'd never talked dirty to one another before – Shelby could even make Santana blush when she really got into it. But as sexy and dirty as Shelby was in the heat of the moment, she couldn't handle it when she wasn't expecting it. Santana loved dropping it on her like that. It was fun seeing the steam come out her ears.

"What? You're the one who was begging me to go faster; to stay deep inside your hot, wet c– "

"Alright!" Shelby said, slapping a hand over Santana's mouth. "Stop distracting me."

"_You_ stop distracting _me_."

"Truce?"

Santana knew she could have Shelby completely distracted again in seconds, but they really had been having a serious conversation before, well…before _that._ "Alright, truce."

She started to pull back but Shelby stopped her again. "Please, just…stay."

Santana had to push the whereabouts of her hand far, far into the back of her mind as she settled next to Shelby.

"Why did you get scared?" Shelby prompted once Santana was still.

Santana frowned, having thought it obvious. "You're going to leave me."

"For a _day_, love."

"And what if you get the part?"

"We'll cross that bridge if we get to it."

"When. When we get to it. You know you're going to get it."

"You're so sweet."

"God, this is such a weird conversation to have when I'm…" She wiggled her fingers, making Shelby inhale sharply.

Shelby's hand covered Santana's, a silent request for her to stop. "I just want to feel close to you. So be serious, and be still."

Santana propped her head up on her fist to be able to look at Shelby more easily, her shoulder still aching. She focused on her eyes to forget about the physical connection. "Okay. So tell me about this audition. What's it for? What show?"

"A revival of _Gypsy._"

"Didn't they just do a revival?"

"They're doing another," Shelby said with a smile. "My old agent in New York heard about it and remembered I'd wanted the last one, but they passed on me. Said I was too young for Mama Rose and too old for Louise."

Santana returned the smile. "You're old enough now?"

Shelby shrugged. "Maybe. Anyway, he remembered how badly I wanted the show when he caught wind of the new production, so he made some calls. They're really just returning a favor for him by seeing me. But I'll take it."

"So this is like, a big show. Like, the real deal."

"It's the real deal." She paused. "Do you still want to move to New York? It's just an audition, but I really, really want this part."

"I'm happy being wherever you are."

Shelby smiled and reached over, holding her hand to Santana's cheek. "You'd just uproot your life like that?"

"You're my life." Santana knew it was corny, and she flinched when she said it. But it was true.

Shelby's smile broadened. "Then there's nothing to be afraid of."

Santana averted her eyes, self-conscious.

"It's okay," Shelby said with a laugh. "But what I don't understand is why being afraid of me leaving led to you f…screwing my brains out."

Santana dropped her head to Shelby's shoulder, feeling a tad sheepish. "I don't like being scared. It makes me angry. So…I was angry. And you were teasing me. And I was excited for you. It was a lot of things and I…"

"Lost control?"

"I guess I did."

"Kind of intense."

The tone of Shelby's voice made Santana lift her head to see her properly again. "Did I hurt you?"

"No," Shelby said quickly. "I'm fine. I was just thinking about it."

Santana felt a smile creeping across her face. She moved her hand back a little, satisfied by the way Shelby's breathing hitched.

"Be gentle," Shelby whispered as she pulled Santana into a kiss.

* * *

"Hiiiiii, Pookie," Santana cooed into her cell phone. "Tana misses you and loves you lots!" She waited, hearing nothing but Beth's excited breathing. She was on the verge of her first words – Santana was relieved the phone call wasn't to inform them they had missed the moment.

"_You been tappin' that sweet ass?"_

"Ugh, Puckerman! Don't talk like that around her!"

"_Cool it, Snix. I know better than that; I'm in the hallway."_

"Good."

"_Well? You treating her right? Doing me proud?"_

Santana groaned, but she was smiling. Puck was pretty much the only person who ever dared to try to ruffle her feathers, aside from her brother. And Shelby. "Let's just say, we're both very satisfied."

"_Aww yeah, get it. You two are hot together. If you ever want a man – "_

"Ew, Puck, no. We don't want a man. That's the point. The novelty of my lady-loving ways really needs to wear off for you."

"_One lady is hot. Two ladies is hotter. Two hot ladies getting freaky is always going to be interesting to me."_

Santana rolled her eyes. "Fine. I gotta go, Shelby's begging me to take her to bed."

"_Damn. Don't leave her waiting."_ The line went dead.

As if on cue, Shelby walked out of the bathroom, face pink from having been freshly scrubbed. "Did I hear my name?"

Santana plugged her phone into the charger next to the bed. "Puck really needs to get over his crush on you."

Shelby scoffed. "Noah has a crush on me?"

"You must be blind. He was just drooling over all the wild sex he thinks we're having up here."

"And you assume he's drooling because of me?" Shelby said, laughing.

"Trust me, it is."

Shelby turned off the bedroom light, more than enough light from the moon pouring in through the sliding glass door to still see one another, and climbed into bed. "I really hope you didn't tell him about all the wild sex we're having up here."

"Not in detail, no." Santana slipped under the covers and right into Shelby's arms. She kissed her soundly. "I don't want this trip to end tomorrow. But I really miss our daughter."

Shelby pulled back a little, a smile playing at the corners of her mouth. "_Our _daughter?"

Santana hadn't even noticed what she said, and it took a moment to figure out what Shelby was questioning. When it clicked, she felt tears sting her eyes. "I – "

"Shh," Shelby said with a kiss. "She's our daughter."


End file.
